NCT01950338

Deep Dry Needling for the Management of Post-stroke Spasticity

CHANGES IN SPASTICITY, WIDESPREAD PRESSURE PAIN SENSITIVITY, AND BAROPODOMETRY AFTER DRY NEEDLING IN STROKE PATIENTS

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 34 (actual)
• Sponsor: Universidad Rey Juan Carlos · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Stroke is the leading cause of physical disability, particularly due to the presence of spasticity. Different needling techniques, including the use of Botulinum Toxin A are proposed for the management of spasticity. The presence of spasticity in the lower extremity implies several impairments for standing and walking inducing high disability. No study has investigated the effects of deep dry needling inserted into the targeted spastic musculature in patients with stroke. The investigators will conduct a randomized controlled trial investigating the effects of a single session of deep dry needling over the musculature of the leg on spasticity, widespread pressure pain sensitivity and plantar pressures (baropodometry) in individuals with chronic stroke. The investigators hypothesize that patients receiving a single session of dry needling would exhibit a greater reduction in spasticity and pressure sensitivity than those who will not receive the intervention.

Conditions

• Stroke

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Dry needling	Once the most painful spot is located within a palpable spastic taut band, the overlying skin is cleaned with alcohol. The needle will be inserted, penetrating the skin about 15-20mm, until the first local twitch response is obtained. Once the first local twitch response is obtained, the needle will be moved up and down (4 to 5 mm. vertical motions with no rotation) in the muscle at approximately 1Hz for 25-30 seconds.

Timeline

• Start date: 2013-01-01
• Primary completion: 2013-10-01
• Completion: 2013-10-01
• First posted: 2013-09-25
• Last updated: 2013-10-29

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Spain